The BEST vegan gf chocolates you'll ever eat! Even if you remove the vegan gf part, the statement…read moreremains true. Favs are their Dubai and Berkeley bars! Smooth rich chocolate with crunchy textures so unique; it's hard to stop at one! Best part is they use coconut sugar! No other vegan gf brand does, and makes it this delicious!! Really quality ingredients and great packaging!

PLEASE NOTE: This was for nationwide shipping…read more I decided to treat myself to a box of chocolates, and it came with: - Tangerine Fudge Truffles - After Dark Truffles - Strawberry Coconut Cups - Lemon Caramel Cups - Berkley Bar (nougat with blended cashew butter caramel and crunchy, salty sprouted almonds) - a Salted Caramel Egg - an Almond Butter Egg - a Superberry Egg - Raspberry Fudge Truffles - Hazelnut Cream Hearts - an Almond Butter Cup It was a good selection of a variety of both flavors and textures. The stand-outs for us were the Berkley Bar (which we didn't think we were going to like, but it was an delightful surprise each and every bite), the Hazelnut Cream Heart (if you love the iconic chocolate-hazelnut pairing, this will be a winner!), and the Raspberry Fudge Truffle (the tartness of the berry cut through the density and heaviness of the chocolate). The others though? Not for us, and I think that's mostly because the layer of chocolate surrounding the fillings was SO thick. It also, at times, almost seemed flavorless: like, I knew I was eating chocolate, but it just didn't taste like it (if that makes sense). For me, the Tangerine Fudge Truffle and the Lemon Caramel Cup weren't citrussy enough either. At this time, I personally wouldn't necessarily re-order from Coracao, and that's only because I have a few chocolatiers I'm pretty loyal to (Lagusta's in NY, Missionary in OR, Bixby in ME). However, if you're looking for a beautiful (in packaging, in presentation) and thoughtful (vegan, organic, fair trade, soy free, gluten-free) gift to give someone? You really couldn't go wrong with a box from Coracao (and, as of writing this, orders $60+ enjoy free shipping)!

Update from a Valentine's Day visit: Xoxolate Bar is still a pretty special place to get a special…read moretreat for someone you love or just for yourself! They were well-stocked and staffed for the V Day rush. My previous experience with more unwrapped chocolates behind a counter was different with a great assortment of wrapped chocolates that you could select and buy per ounce. The store is tiny but very cute. And, of course, everything I've ever tried tastes amazing! You can't go wrong.

WOW FACTOR? Well, yes! A small shop with all kinds of chocolate and wonderful service. Great find…read more HAVE AGAIN: We tried several of the shop-made chocolates and most were delicious. Of course, when trying a dozen of different chocolates, some will be hits and some not so much. We shared the bounty with one son's family and all enjoyed them. Sadly, we forgot to bring home the remainders!

Ordered 300 bars with custom labels for an event and they were incredible! Very easy to work with,…read morefabulous chocolate and our guests scooped up every last one. Highly recommend! And they generously gave a nonprofit discount too :)

This is our family go-to place for special birthday gifts for our friends no matter their age…read more Their bon-bons are delicious and display beautiful artistry. But hands down, we fully recommend their chocolates cake, El Rey. It is the BEST chocolate cake on earth, to die for, and also my husband's birthday cake year after year. Children and adults both gobble it up completely. The folks that work there are also very kind and always enticing me with samples of their bars.

The chocolate is divine. It's high quality and each piece has rich flavors that taste fresh. Some…read morepeople might balk at $3 for a truffle but it tastes like it's worth $3. The taste is luxurious. They change up the flavors every few months. I tend to not like chocolate that is too dark but here it isn't too strong. My favorites: Champagne-pretty heart shape and tastes very champagney Banana Fosters- Colorful and very flavorful Peanut Butter and Jelly-essential for peanut butter lovers Lavendar-it's like aromatherapy for your mouth The truffles remind me of Christopher Elbow in the city for quality but in a must less fancy setting and more obscure location. I wish they were open longer the store is closed Sunday-Tuesday and open Wed-Sat from 12pm-6pm.

Always good to support your local chocolate shop over the mass produced candy bars and chocolate…read moreyou can get at the grocery store. They have unique flavors and there's a sense of giving yourself a treat after a long days work. I'm a mango and coffee fan so that's what I tried in these chocolates. They wrapped it up nicely even though I ate it straight away! My coworker did the same for her spicy chocolates. Cool Berkeley shop!

Not only do I love their desserts, they are the best, you have to go to France to find any like…read morethese, but I love the staff and the owners! They are the most generous and kind. Thank you Jean-Yves for your generosity and kindness!

I used to buy Galaxy Deserts all the time. I splurged on the Sticky Buns from Williams Sonoma. how…read morestupid was I. this is what I received. not nice packaging, much smaller, and tasted terrible. Buyer beware

Totally stumbled upon this place by accident, and what a serendipitous find! We saw that they had…read morethe viral Dubai chocolates (this was back in October). For those who don't know what the Dubai chocolates are, they are milk chocolates filled with shredded phyllo dough and pistachio cream. My first impression was whether or not I had walked into an art gallery or a confectionary shop. Uh...turns out both! According to their website, the owner and her partner were originally artists prior to becoming chocolatiers. This place just screams creativity and their chocolates are ethically-sourced and almost too pretty to eat. They even have a backroom gallery to showcase local artists' confectionary-inspired works. We couldn't find the Dubai chocolates, but one of the employees approached us and asked if we needed any assistance. Turns out they were in the back and they had just received a shipment! The Dubai chocolates were nutty, crunchy, flaky, and velvety all in one! Pricey, but worth trying. Also, might I just take a moment to say I absolutely adore the shop's name! It almost looks like "XO Chocolate" as in kisses and hugs, bu also reminded me of the language of the ancient Latin American civilizations and - fun fact - Xocolatl (you see the play on words?) means chocolate (literally means "bitter water") back when they would mix purely cocoa and water as a drink. If I'm not mistaken, this business is Latina-owned, so perhaps that was intention? So clever and, either way, kudos to them!

Came here after a big meal. Wanted to get something sweet and happed upon Xocolate & confections…read more My family and I were amazed. Packed inside this small space was an amazing array of candies. Felt like museum; candy store and art gallery mixed into one. Amazing displays. Great local sweets. Friendly staff. We spent more time than we expected. And to be honest, we probably could have spent more. Delightful place to explore and indulge in your sweet tooth.

Best candy anywhere, vegan or not. The owner is amazing and very conscientious. They don't seem to…read morecarry as much as years past but what they do have is just perfection. It's not cheap but I would much rather have a little bit of this amazing candy than a bagful of the crap you can buy in stores. Yummy!!!

Warning -- if you eat these in public, you may find yourself making positively indecent noises of…read moreecstasy. These are the best confectioneries anywhere around, and made by a confectioner with a heart of gold who gives back in an amazing way to some great causes. Sweets so good that they were at the 2012 Academy Awards? Check. Buy two of everything? Check. Wish you had bought four of everything? Check. Keep checking back because the creative offerings are seasonal and ever changing? Check. 100% guilt-free because they are vegan and eco-friendly and can probably bring about world peace through sheer culinary delight? Check. Eat all the caramels. Be happy. Make the world a better place. Repeat.

excellent chocolate cream filled cupcakes ! Husband loves the lemon. Can't wait to try the cakes.read more

The cake and icing are very good. I would have given 5 stars but I think it's icing/cream overload…read more First, there is an ample amount of icing on the top. Then, there is more inside - I think it's the same stuff. Very tasty, very moist- coming from a former professional pastry chef at the Ritz. And these are perfect for you if you like a lot of icing/cream/schmutz.

Stopped by the cafe, on a side quest, as my main goal being in this area was to big up a half-baked…read moreZachary's pizza. This is a cool, modern, bakery with all the types of pastries you could imagine. Want a slice of cake? They got it. Want something savory? They got it. Want some cookies? They got it. Want fresh coffee or a chai latte? They got it. The folks ordering in front of me seemed to be regulars, and I went with what they got which was an eclair (soo good) and some mango mouse cake thing which was divine. I overheard folks in line mention ordering online for an event, so you can order ahead of time on the website for cakes. I recommend this place. Heads up, not a ton of seating indoors...BUT it's a lovely neighborhood to walk up and down, and there's some seating, just not a ton. Parking is paid, but you may be lucky and snag a neighborhood curve.

Great espresso drinks. Great bread. Daily specials…read more Pretty cakes, pastries, macarons. A few outside tables. Friendly staff. Porridge! I stop by after my swim. Recommend!

If you're stopping by, the apples are definitely the highlight, just make sure to ask them to slice…read moreit for you. It makes the whole experience way easier (and honestly more enjoyable). I tried the s'mores one not really knowing what to expect, but it ended up being a pleasant surprise. The marshmallow had this light, fluffy texture that paired really nicely with the cookie crumble on top, it gave it just the right mix of soft and crunchy. One thing to keep in mind, these are best enjoyed fresh. Once you take them home and stick them in the fridge, the toppings can start to harden and the overall texture isn't quite the same. So if you can, dig in right away. The spot itself is easy to miss, it's tucked into a little nook along Bay Street, right across from Jars. Definitely worth seeking out if you're in the area.

**** Dubai Chocolate Chewy Cookie ****…read more Here for the *viral* trend in Korea? We went to Bay street on a whim so why not? Sadly, this rendition is not worth going out of your way for. At least to me. The Dubai Chocolate Chewy Cookie is only available Friday-Sunday and is $7.75 each. Good crispy-creamy texture (toasted kataifi and pistachio cream) but no stretchy pull, nor chewy bite...the marshmallow exterior was like dry, stale playdough. The cocoa powder was not bitter enough so it was hella sweet compared to the ones from Korean bakeries. Their candied apples looked great tho and ideal gift of nostalgia for your loved ones!